Faculty & Staff

UT Austin faculty and staff, traveling internationally to restricted regions to conduct University business such as research, teaching or dissertation, have to follow specific steps for approval. The process is the same regardless of whether the travel is funded by UT Austin or not. This does not include personal/vacation travel that is unaffiliated with UT Austin.

If you are unsure how the region where you are traveling is categorized, please call International SOS for assistance.

For travel to Category 1 and 2 locations, the Chair/Unit Head and Dean/VP of the department are in charge of reviewing/signing faculty and staff Restricted Regions requests, which then need to be emailed to Travel Management Services for final review. The Dean/VP may delegate this responsibility to another individual in the same office, but whoever reviews the requests must complete IOC training when they assume this responsibility.

If planning travel to a Category 3 location, only the traveler needs to sign the Restricted Regions request. The completed request must be sent to Travel Management Services for review. No IOC review is required for faculty and staff traveling to Category 4 locations.

Submit request to IOC

Category 1 and 2 Travel

The Chair/Dean of the department will decide whether to approve the travel except in the cases of travel to Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea which must be reviewed by the IOC. The traveler must submit the completed and signed request forms to Restricted.Regions@austin.utexas.edu.

Category 3 Travel

Faculty and staff traveling to Category 3 destinations may forward their completed request directly to UT Travel Management Services at Restricted.Regions@austin.utexas.edu before the departure date. Only the traveler will sign the category 3 request form.

Category 4 Travel

Travel to these locations do not have an International SOS risk rating of High or Extreme and have no State Department Warning, so faculty and staff may simply proceed as you would with any non-Restricted Regions travel. You may call International SOS anytime 24/7 at 1-215-942-8478.

Register with International SOS

All faculty and staff must complete travel registration with International SOS. The UT "Member Login" is 11BSGC000037. Once logged in, complete both the mandatory "Add Trip" and "Emergency Record". If this is your first time registering your travel with International SOS, you must create a username and password. If you’re using a UT-contracted travel agency, you’ll be registered with International SOS automatically.

The IOC retains the right to withdraw one's travel authorization, if necessary, as well as to withhold reimbursement and/or take other disciplinary actions for noncompliance with the UT Travel Policy.